The Libyan writer Hisham Matar’s excellent article for The New Yorker today
Perhaps somebody who works for Saviour Balzan – not Balzan himself, as his language skills fall far short of what is required – could break this piece down into simple English and then translate it into short Maltese sentences with uncomplicated syntax so that John Dalli can understand it.
All you other people out there, please read it. And while you are reading it, remember that Dalli’s main objection to the protect placards in the uprising against Gaddafi was that they were in English, and so they couldn’t possibly have been written by Libyans.
That comment is enough to help you understand what sort of Libyan people were the only ones he knew, that he should have thought all Libyans to be as inarticulate in two languages as he is.
I quote a relevant paragraph:
Those who regret the end of Qaddafi’s regime ignore how the current chaos is the product of four decades of oppression. “Wasn’t Qaddafi better?” is the wrong question, because it doesn’t illuminate the objective reality of post-revolutionary Libya. To understand today’s events, one must remember what life was like under Qaddafi. The state was designed around an individual and his family; it resembled more a Mafia than a political structure. And so ending the dictatorship meant ending the state.
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http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/consequences-dreams
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-07-31/news/tmi-exclusive-other-foreigners-held-with-martin-galea-6043402240/
I strongly recommend Roger Degiorgio to reconsider his investment.
It just about sums up John Dall’s mentality: he thinks and acts like a disillusioned Libyan.
‘Qaddafi created ideal conditions for intolerant and violent politics. The old scars and habits of his Libya will be hard to overcome.’
Mintoff had quite similar traits.
Now, twenty seven years later we are beginning to realise that old habits have resurfaced. The MLP is back with a vengeance, desperate to retake what it feels it had lost during the last three decades.
The MLP has lost its values but not the craving for money power provides.
Muscat surrounds himself with people he has bought and whom he controls while befriending states of similar mentality little realising he is being bought in return.
He is small fry swimming among the sharks and he’s going to leave one hell of a mess when the people finally realise they’ve been duped and tire of his antics.
The Martin Galea case.
Confusion? My foot.
So, after hiding the case from the Maltese public for over a week, we hear the news from a newspaper. Muscat enjoying his trip abroad while knowing about the whole affair.
Then the Lord speaks about it. Thanks. Then it is a delicate matter.
Afterwards he tried to gather merit where it was definitely not due.
Abduction? What abduction. It was all done for Mr Galea’s safety after all.
Bottom line: The kidnappers are Gaddafi’s supporters who are trying to regain the power. So, naturally, as our Prime Minister, who remember, was the last one to rule out Gaddafi’s regime till it was all over, now that perhaps the Gaddafi people will possibly triumph again, why don’t we put them back in a shining spotlight?
Kidnappers they weren’t….just trying to keep him safe .
Keep in kind. The national security services heard Martin’s account. The whole story.
Martin was safe all along.
SHAME ON YOU PM !
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-07-31/news/following-tmi-interview-government-admits-martin-galea-was-abducted-6045106176/
‘…Asked who the protagonist was in Mr Galea’s release, Mr Farrugia said ‘ the government is not after trying to establish some form of hero, the important thing is that Mr Galea is home safe and sound.’
Mr Farrugia added that the government did not restrict Mr Galea from talking to any media…..’
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-07-31/news/following-tmi-interview-government-admits-martin-galea-was-abducted-6045106176/
‘Mr Farrugia added that the government did not restrict Mr Galea from talking to any media.’
That a government spokesman mentioned the possibility is a damaging insight of its mindset.
When people like Dalli lament criminals like Gaddafi, they only expose their true nature and modus operandi.
Dalli’s attitude to Libyans’ ability to speak and write in English is odd. One of his now former employees was a highly educated Libyan woman who is articulate in several languages.
http://www.tvm.com.mt/sports/everton-jakkwistaw-lil-lukaku/
ara fliem stat qeda l-website ta tvm eee.
stampa ta’ paul pogba u artiklu fuq lukaku.
xdilettantizmu
Anyone can say what they like, but the fact is that when under Gaddafi’s reign people in Libya were not being ruthlessly massacred. People’s homes were not being destroyed. Hospitals, schools, roads, oil refineries. So much death and destruction.
Let’s face it, in the last 5-10 years of Gaddafi’s rule things were starting to improve. Gaddafi was not going to live forever, he was close to 70 years old and Saif Al Islam is a much more moderate person.
I am all for democracy but unfortunately democracy does not work in most Arab countries. Look at Libya today and Iraq and to a certain extent even Egypt.
The uprising against Gaddafi started because of a massacre. Gaddafi died after 42 years of bloody, insane rule where nothing and no one was safe, not even outside of Libya.
People were jailed and held for decades without a trial. They were the lucky ones. Many were hanged, their deaths a deliberate public spectacle, in an annual event planned to intimidate the population. Thousands were summarily executed, the whereabouts of their bodies known only to their executioners and to god.
What was Gaddafi’s stray dogs policy, the financing and material support of international terrorism, the random jailing and summary execution of anyone Gaddafi decided was an enemy of the people, if not death and destruction?
Saif al-Islam is not more moderate than his father. He is simply better presented – or, rather, was better presented until his insane rambling on national TV at the start of the uprising. He knew, understood and supported his father’s decisions and was his father’s mouthpiece.
Gaddafi’s supporters are now using Saif al Islam to promote a return to the false safety of Gaddafi’s rule. Who’d have thought a Maltese fool would fall for that?
From The Malta Independent, posted beneath the story re. Martin Galea.
“marlon grech • 14 hours ago
dan li dan ir ragel hareg ifahhar qisha marret isalvah personali hi min go nofs il militanti …din mhux listess wahda li allegament ghamlet snin tisraq mill Visa tal Libyani taht il PN u bhas solitu qatt ma ndunaw ??…..mhux forsi hux dan kollhu biex issa din il persuna tidher sabiha hux?”
Simply unbelievable.
L-Orizzont knows best. They have very reliable sources.They think Martin Galea is lying.
http://www.orizzont.com.mt/FullArticle.php?ID1=%27Ahbarijiet%27&ID2=122929
“When I landed on Maltese soil I looked up and said thank you. Then I turned to Marisa and hugged her. She is the woman I love most, after my wife. Only I know what she did for me. She was the one who found me in those barracks. She communicated with Hajj Omar, and she got the guard commander’s phone number, no one else. No bigwig in this country ever contacted me. How can I not thank her? I will remain grateful to her for as long as I live.”
Martin’s wife, Sue, joins in. “Marisa was the one contact I had over there. She told me she was handling the case herself and she was in touch every single evening to tell me how things were progressing and that she was doing her best to save him. She told me she had located him but it was difficult but she is the one contact who kept us going.”
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-08-01/news/tmi-exclusive-when-i-heard-marisas-voice-it-was-like-an-angels-martin-galea-6049693696/
When “L’Etat, c’est moi” and moi is booted out only chaos and violence can and will follow. The best case scenario in all the newly headless states is a benevolent military dictatorship who through force if necessary restores security, builds up functioning institutions for the running of the state and five years or so down the line hands power back to an elected body whilst keeping an eye on anybody bent on destroying the whole system. The role model is Turkey.
There is money for new AFM uniforms ……
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140801/local/new-combat-uniform-for-afm.530169
but no money for a democratic process of electing Local counsellors in our localities….
Prosit !
More BREAKING NEWS that you will not read elsewhere in the “selected” Maltese media.
”Afren suspends Executives After Investigation Into Payments”
– Financial Times (31 July 2014)
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/aefeaede-1885-11e4-a51a-00144feabdc0.html#axzz399NcCyKF
“Africa-focused oil group Afren has suspended its chief executive pending an investigation into “unauthorised payments”, stoking concerns about corporate governance at African companies seeking to raise capital in London.”
And:
“In a statement, FTSE 250 member Afren said it had suspended Osman Shahenshah, its chief executive, and chief operating officer Shahid Ullah, sending its shares down 28 per cent on the day. The company has also postponed half-year results.”
See also:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-31/afren-suspends-ceo-coo-after-investigation-into-payments.html
http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/jul/31/afren-oil-company-chief-executive-suspended-shares-fall
http://af.reuters.com/article/nigeriaNews/idAFFWN0Q600D20140731
It appears that the issue about “unauthorised payments” refers to acts of fraud, bribery or corruption:
“Oil explorer Afren watched its shares nosedive 26 per cent after suspending its chief executive and operations director over allegations they received ‘unauthorised payments’.”
“During the course of the review, Afren said ‘evidence has been identified of the receipt of unauthorised payments potentially for the benefit of the CEO and COO.”
http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/article-2712586/Oil-explorer-Afren-reels-bosses-suspended-unauthorised-payment-allegations.html
Afren plc is a substantial shareholder of Gasol plc. Afren holds 13.5% of Gasol’s shares.
http://www.gasolplc.com/investors/major-shareholders.aspx
Information taken from Gasol’s website may not be fully updated. For example, Dr. Rilwanu Lukman is still appearing as their Chairman as of today.
Gasol was delisted from the London Stock Exchange Alternative Investments Market on 21 July 2014, and since then, Gasol is no longer required to make public announcements of important changes in its governance.
Afren is a company registered in the UK and listed on the main London Stock Exchange, with its business focus mainly in Africa, particularly Nigeria.
Dr. Rilwanu Lukman, former Chairman of Gasol and a co-“founder” of African Gas Development Corporation Limited – a Seychelles company which controls 66% of Gasol – was also a co-“founder” of Afren. He served as its chairman from 2005, when it was founded, to 2008, when Dr. Lukman resigned upon his appointment as Minister of Petroleum Resources of the Nigerian government.
Dr. Lukman died on 21 July 2014 in Vienna of as yet undisclosed causes, although relatives told The Sun of Nigeria that the causes of his death were subject to “speculation.”
http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=73809
Mr. Shahenshah had important roles directly within Gasol up to the very recent past. Already back in 2009, Mr. Shahenshah was a non-executive director of Gasol.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=ashAYPzOjvnU
Mr. Shahenshah resigned from the board of Gasol on 26 July 2012. See his name here.
http://www.gasolplc.com/media/18708/gasol_ar2013.pdf
As a CEO of Afren, Mr. Shahenshah would have played important roles indealings with Gasol. In a Question and Answer session with Mr. Alan Buxton, COO of Gasol, on Gasol’s website, Mr. Buxton referst to Gasol’s ties with Afren:
“Q. What advantages does Gasol have in commercialising gas and LNG in the region?
A. The main advantages are, firstly, that we have a close relationship with Afren and, secondly, our political connectivity. Afren is very supportive of Gasol and is a major shareholder in the Company. Afren has established itself as a major E&P player in the oil sector with a market cap now in excess of $2.0 billion. Our alliance with Afren is important because we are working with Afren to develop gas upstream in Afren’s fields in West Africa and we hope that we can become known as a gas champion in West Africa, just as they may be seen as a leading oil player in the region. Secondly, Gasol has strong links in the West African region and plans to work with all relevant stakeholders to develop the gas sector.”
http://www.gasolplc.com/media-centre/qa.aspx?page=1
A search on the internet will show that there have been transactions between Gasol and Afren involving some companies doing deals in Africa, which were reported by way of announcements to the LSE AIM when Gasol was still listed.
Some useful (historic) background about Afren, Dr. Lukman and Mr. Shahenshah here:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/7067148/Afren-the-UK-company-leading-the-hunt-for-Africas-oil.html
“Dr. Lukman died on 21 July 2014 in Vienna of as yet undisclosed causes, although relatives told The Sun of Nigeria that the causes of his death were subject to “speculation.” ”
Ciccio, well done. Check up on the other former OPEC heads that met a similar end, the pacts they all had together, and the timing of the deaths.
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/41857/pn_leader_i_am_not_my_predecessors_there_is_no_continuation_from_the_past#.U9u-WuOSzCo
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-08-01/news/do-not-let-joseph-muscat-take-away-your-right-to-vote-simon-busuttil-6058082304/
http://www.timesofmalta.com/mobile/view/20140801/local/update-2-questions-teachers-claim-they-were-asked-during-interview-not-acceptable-government.530164
I apologise for being out of contest, but have you seen this? I’m fed up of how women are treated in this country.
If I were asked if I plan to have any children in the near future, I would have just smiled and replied that it’s none of the interviewer’s business.
As for the other question how I plan to manage my work while taking care of two children, I would have said that I expect my husband to share the workload with me equally, and incidentally, are you asking these questions to men too?
Just this morning I was having a debate with my husband about married couples where both members are professionals e.g. doctors or lawyers or engineers. I noted how very often the woman bows her head, takes care of the house and children and puts her career aside without as much as a whimper.
Sometimes the husband even derides the wife for not moving much up the career ladder. He would do well to note that while she had to stop working to take care of his children, he kept on studying and piling up on experience. I think the fault lies with the husband as well as the wife for accepting such a situation.
Incidentally, this conversation started after we noted how Minister for Health and Paediatric Surgeon Chris Fearne treats with disdain GPs, especially since his own wife is a GP. I could mention a few more husband consultant/ wife GP couples where the husband is derisive of GPs. I would also like to note that I know these women GPs well and they are very good at their job, occasionally even better than their male counterparts.
Please note that new GPs (those who completed training in the last 5 years) have undergone extensive training and sit for exams accredited by the Royal College of General Practitioners.
I was wondering what your thoughts about such stories are: http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-08-01/news/man-wishes-roberta-metsola-is-gang-raped-by-immigrants-after-unicef-meeting-6058967040/
In my opinion The Malta Independent shold not be giving men like that any publicity. They are nobodies and until a few years ago, before facebook, they’d never have been able to spread their scum. Just because someone has an opinion doesn’t make that opinion worth noting.
I am not thinking only of this story but also of similar features about people who have done nothing useful or noteworthy like this man featured in The Times of Malta: http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140801/local/Tatt-s-not-enough.530064
I see that such stories are popular if the number of comments is anything to go by. I suppose that at the end of the day newspapers have to be run as a business.
Daphne, off topic, but highly informative, factual and relevant to current politics.:
This is what happens to bridges buit by the corrupt Chinese
http://www.businessinsider.com/china-bridge-collapses-2012-8?op=1
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-08-01/news/man-wishes-roberta-metsola-is-gang-raped-by-immigrants-after-unicef-meeting-6058967040/
Q – Why do the Dalli family look so shabby, scruffy and generally unkept?
A – Because they lost out on their soap consignment.
Excellent article – a must read to understand the situation. I would also think that it is now hard to change the mentality of some people there. It has become hard to teach the old dog, the current new tricks. The psychological situation might change with new generation.
The CEO and COO of Afren suspended over “corruption allegations.”
http://oilnewskenya.com/2014/07/31/afren-suspends-ceo-coo-over-corruption-allegations/
http://oilpro.com/post/6072/london-listed-independent-ep-suspends-both-ceo–coo-amid-corruption-allegations